Measure to Appear on June 2010 Ballot

AUGUSTA, MAINE—Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap announced today the completion of the certification of an effort to place Chapter 382 of the 2009 Laws of Maine on the June 8, 2010 statewide referendum ballot. After a thorough review, the Secretary of State has determined that there are enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot so that Maine voters will make the final decision as to whether Chapter 382 will become Maine law.

“This has been an extraordinary process,” said Dunlap. “Proponents of a People’s Veto must organize quickly and complete a massive signature drive in a short period of time. With the submission of the signatures so close to the election, we’ve also had to work under extraordinary time pressures and have moved as quickly as it was possible to complete a thorough review of the petitions and to assure that all constitutional requirements were met. I want to thank the staff of not only our Elections Division, but employees throughout the Department of the Secretary of State who have worked long hours to assure that this certification was completed and also that the recent election—which may surpass all records for turnout in a referendum election—was completed successfully.”

Proponents of the People’s Veto submitted 71,035 signatures to the Secretary of State’s offices on September 11th, 2009, and claimed that 61,000 were those of registered voters according to the municipal clerks. Submission of those signatures effected a stay of the implementation of Public Law Chapter 382. A thorough review process revealed a number of other deficiencies and resulted in a determination that 56,107 of the signatures were valid. 55,087 certified signatures are required in order for a People’s Veto or other citizen initiative to go forward. This determination continues the stay on the implementation of the law; if the campaign to veto the law is successful, then Chapter 382 will be vetoed and will not go into effect. If the campaign to uphold the law is successful, it would go into effect 30 days after the Governor proclaims the certification of the tabulation of the June election.

The question that will appear on the June ballot will read:

“Do you want to reject the new law that lowers Maine’s income tax and replaces that revenue by making changes to the sales tax?”